Karnataka celebrates Deepavali with festive fervour, CM urges use of green crackers
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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka celebrated Deepavali with zeal on Monday, as people flocked to temples, adorned their homes with flowers and lamps, and burst crackers to mark the festival of lights.
Dressed in new attires, residents exchanged greetings, embracing the spirit of the festival that symbolises the triumph of light over darkness.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar extended Deepavali greetings to everyone.
Taking to social media platform 'X', Siddaramaiah said, "May this festival, which shows the path from darkness to light, dispel the darkness of hatred, violence, falsehood, unrest, poverty, and ignorance that plague society, and spread the light of friendship, coexistence, truth, peace, and wisdom everywhere, I pray."
He urged people to use only green firecrackers and advised elders to ensure safety of young children while bursting them.
"Along with the joy of the festival, do not forget environmental care. Use only green firecrackers, and when young children burst crackers, elders should take care of them. I request everyone to celebrate Deepavali with joy and safely. Once again, Deepavali wishes to all of you," the CM added.
Extending his hearty Deepavali greetings, Deputy CM Shivakumar said on 'X', "May the festival of lights dispel the hardships in everyone’s lives and spread the light of progress all around. I pray that this festival of lamps brings success, prosperity and abundance into everyone’s life."
Markets across Bengaluru, including KR Market, Chickpet and Avenue Road, donned a festive look since early morning as people thronged stores to buy sweets, flowers, earthen lamps and decorative items.
After the Supreme Court’s recent directive regulating firecracker use in Delhi-NCR, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has implemented similar restrictions across the state. It has instructed all district administrations to intensify the crackdown on illegal storage, sale and trading of non-green crackers.
The board has permitted the bursting of crackers only between 8 pm and 10 pm on October 21 and 22.
The Bengaluru Traffic Police has made elaborate arrangements to ease congestion near major commercial areas and temples, while hospitals across the city have been put on alert to deal with possible firecracker-related injuries. Victoria Hospital and Minto Eye Hospital have set up special emergency units to ensure timely treatment.
Deepavali is celebrated over three days in Karnataka — Naraka Chaturdashi, which involves the traditional oil bath and fireworks; Lakshmi Puja on Amavasya (new moon), dedicated to the goddess of wealth; and Balipadyami, observed to honour King Bali.
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Ex-PM Devegowda warns opposition of electoral losses if they continue to allege 'vote chori'
New Delhi (PTI): Former Prime Minister H D Devegowda on Monday said the Opposition parties would "suffer" if they continue to raise allegations of "vote chori" and create suspicion in the minds of voters by blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
Participating in a discussion on election reforms in the Rajya Sabha, he criticised the Opposition for making a mockery about the Prime Minister "in the streets and on the public platform".
"This (India) is a very big country. A large country. Congress may be in three states. Remember my friends please, by using the words 'vote chori' you are going to suffer in the coming days. You are not going to win the battle," Devegowda said, referring to the Opposition members.
He asked what the Opposition is going to earn by "blaming Narendra Modi's leadership and creating a suspicion in the mind of the voters" through the claims of "vote chori".
"What has happened to their minds? Let them rectify," Devegowda said.
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The former prime minister said that during his over seven decades of public life, he has never raised such issues of vote theft despite facing defeat in elections.
He also cited a letter written by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru regarding inclusion of "18,000 votes" (voters) in Kerala.
"Why I am telling this (because) during the Nehru period also, there were certain lapses in the electoral system," said Devegowda, who was the prime minister between June 1, 1996 and April 21, 1997.
He said that the Congress party faced defeat in the recent Bihar elections despite raising the issues of mistakes in the electoral rolls.
"What happened after that even after so much review (of voters list). Think (for) yourself! You got six MLAs," the senior Janata Dal (Secular) leader said.
Devegowda questioned the Opposition as to why they want to make allegations against the prime minister on the issue of the voters list?
"Election Commission is there. Supreme Court is there. The Election Commission has given direction to all the state units to rectify all these things," he said.
Devegowda said people of the country have full confidence in Narendra Modi's government and it will come back to power after the next Lok Sabha elections as well.
K R Suresh Reddy, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party's Rajya Sabha member from Telangana, said that electoral reforms are the backbone for a healthy democracy.
He said a large and diverse nation like Indi needs clean electoral rolls.
Asserting that strict re-verification should not become a mechanism for exclusion, Reddy said no eligible voter should lose their right to vote simply because accessing paperwork is difficult.
He said while the concern definitely is on the voters' exclusion, "we should also be equally concerned about the percentage of voting."
"What is happening in voting today? Once the election ends, the drama begins. The biggest challenge that the Indian democracy has been facing in spite of two major Constitutional amendments has been the anti-defection. Anti-defection is the name of the game today, especially in smaller states, especially where the legislatures are small in number," Reddy said.
The senior BRS leader suggested creation of a parliamentary committee "which would constantly look into the defection" and "ways and means to cutting that".
AIADMK's M Thambidurai raised the issues related to election campaigning.
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"Election campaigns are one of the important election processes. In that, political parties must be given the proper chance to campaign," he said and cited problems faced by his party in Tamil Nadu in this regard.
Thambidurai said political parties were facing hardships in Tamil Nadu to conduct public meetings and to express their views to the public.
YSRCP's Yerram Venkata Subba Reddy stressed on bringing electoral reforms at both the state and national levels.
He also suggested replacing Electronic Voting Machines with paper ballots in all future elections.
"EVM may be efficient but can't be trusted. Paper ballot may not be efficient but can be trusted. You need trust in democracy," Reddy added.
